Awning



Oct. 23, 1951 c. M. SKAGGS 2,572,821

AWNING Filed May 9, 1947 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 INVENTOR. J/ (K/APLfS M 6 Oct. 23, 1951 c, SKAGGS 2,572,821

AWNING Filed May 9, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IWIVTOR (IN/H55 M 564666 Patented Oct. 23, 1951 Charles Skaggs, Memphis, 'Icnn.; Lula Beeler Skaggs cxecu'trixof said Charles M. Skaggs.

deceased Application May 9, 1947, Serial No. 747,097

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to window awnings and particularly to awnings of sheet metal or other rigid sheet-like material.

Window awnings almost necessarily span the window opening and as usually made, whether of cloth or metal, have frames and flat spanning surfaces therebetween, either in strip form as sheet form, which inherently tend to sag out of shape, and to lose their pristine shape and trim appearance. Additionally little attention is given to ventilation and heated air is trapped beneath them neutralizing the benefits which they are designed to obtain.

The objects of the present invention are:

To provide an awning designed to accomplish all the functions of a conventional awning in which the awning sheet is flanged from time to time transversely to the window opening to provide stiffening risers which minimize sagging and to form in the risers louvers through which heated air may escape;

To provide an awning comprising a minimum of readily assembled parts, all of sheet metal, preformed to accomplish stiffening of the awn= ing sheet with the stiffening portions provided with louvers for ventilation.

'rhe means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the manner 'of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an awning disclosing an awning sheet of step and riser construction and other features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1 showing fragmentary parts of two step portions of the awning sheet and the interconnecting riser between such parts, and also showing a fragmentary portion of one of the end members which supports the sheet.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the edge portions of the same step and riser por tions before connection to the end member.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view showing a modification in which individually formed steps with integral riser edge portions are united into an integral awning sheet structure.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of edge portions of two steps and their integral riser portions before integration.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

The awning "comprises two ends A and B, and an awning sheet C supported thereby, all of which are of thin sheet metal, preferably ga 2 vaniz'ed sheet iron, or like substantially rigid material.

The ends A and B are of identical shape, but oppositely faced. Each end comprises a sheet [2 of thin metal, or the like, substantially trian gular in shape, preferably with its bottom edge I4 and one side edge I 6 at right angles, and having a diagonal upper edge l8 which supports one end of the awning sheet. The side edge I6 is flanged to vertically stiffen the end, the flange preferably being outwardly turned and provided with suitable holes so that the awning structure may be more readily attached to the frame 20 of the window. The diagonal edge 18 is also flanged to provide stiffening and a seat for the awning sheet, and if desired, the bottom edge M may also be flanged, though this is not shown. The flanges are preferably integral ortions of the sheet l2, but obviously may be at tached angles or other structural members if desired. Louvers 22 are formed in the sheet ends for ventilation and stiffening.

Supported on the diagonal upper edges l8 of the ends is the awning sheet C, substantially rectangular, which is upwardly turned along one edge to provide a flange 23 through which at tachment may be made as by screws 24 to the lintel 26 of the window frame.

Parallel to this edge and at substantially equal intervals the sheet is downwardly bent at right angles and outwardly reversely bent to form alternating step and riser portions 28 and 30 and adjacent its lower edge is downwardly bent at proper angle to establish, when the sheet is in place, a vertical edge flange or valance 32 which may be finished along it lower edge in ornamental portions 34. Each of the risers 30 and the valance 32 are provided with Ventilating louvers 36. Pref e erably the points of the triangular end sheet l2 are truncated to abut the valance 32.

The sheet C is of sufficiently greater length than the length of the steps 28, riser 30 and flanges to allow for end flanging these parts and is inwardly slotted along the lines of the various bends made to form these parts. The end portions of the risers so and valence 3-2 are bent back- Ward atright angles to form end flanges '38, and the end portions of the steps are bent downward at right angles to form flanges it having end portions'r'espectively overlapping the flanges '38, and when the sheet is assembied on the ends A and overlapping these ends at intervals along their diagonal upper edges. The overlapping portions of the flanges 4-8 and flanges 38- are spot welded atthe-points 42 toaccomplish a rigid structure and the flanges 40 and flanges 38 of valence are also apertured to receive bolts 44 by which attachment is made to the ends.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 4 and 5, step sections 28A of the awning sheet are individually formed and these are united as by welding to form the awning sheet. The upper of these sections has the attaching flange 23A as in the unitary structure before shown, and has an opposite edge portion 30A of somewhat greater depth than half the desired riser depth with outwardly and downwardly faced louvers 36A formed along the lower edge of the riser. Intermediate sections are formed with an upwardly extending riser portion 30B, which may have an upwardly and inwardly faced louver 36B formed along its upper edge, and oppositely with the downwardly extending riser portion 30A and louvers 36A, as in the first mentioned section. The final section may be identical with th intermediate sections, or the riser portion 32A may extend vertically downward, as shown, rather than at right angles to the step portion.

A skirt or valance 32B cooperates with the riser portion 32A to form the lowest riser. The lower edge of this valance may be ornamentally flnished, as in Fig. 1, or may be formed into a gutter 32C, diverting water toward one or both sides of the awning. The end portion of the steps are provided with flanges 40, as in the unitary structure, and of the risers with flange portions 38A, 38B cooperating to form flanges similar to the flanges 38. Obviously the number of units used determines the width of the awning sheet and the separately formed sections are in that respect at least advantageous.

In forming the awning sheets and ends the louvers are stamped before flanging or bending to form the steps and risers. The ends and awning sheets may be assembled into complete structures before shipping or after delivery before erecting, or optionally the ends may be erected before the awning sheet is placed, this optional method not being recommended because of the difiiculty inherent in placing the ends to accurately fit the awning sheet.

It will be understood also that the risers, while shown and described as at right angles to the step portions of the awning sheet, may obviously be at such angle that the risers are vertical, as are the edge risers or valances 32 of Fig. 1, or 323 of Fig. 4.

Ventilation of the awning is accomplished by the louvers 22, 36A and by the triangular spaces 48 between the upper edges of the ends and the lower and inner edges of the flanges 40 and 38.

I claim:

1. An awning structure which comprises a pair of substantially triangular ends vertically dis-'- posed and each having a vertical rear edge and an inclined edge extending downwardly and outwardly from the upper end of said rear edge; and an awning sheet extending between and supported on said inclined edges, said awning sheet including a plurality of integrally connected, alternating step and riser portions extending between said ends and secured thereto, the rear edges of said steps respectively resting on said inclined edges, said steps extending outwardly and downwardly from their said rear edges in parallelism and having their forward edges spaced above said inclined edges to form aperturesabove said inclined edges adjacent the forward edges of said steps, said risers depending from said forward edges at right angles thereto and; each respectively extending from the said forward edge associated therewith into junction with the rear edge of the step next adjacent therebelow, each said riser having formed therein a plurality of hooded louver openings, the hoods of said louvers being outwardly offset from said risers and the lower edges of said hoods extending below the lower edges of said openings to shield said openings. 7

2. An awning structure which comprises a pair of substantially triangular ends each having an inclined upper surface extending downwardly and outwardly from its apex; and an awning sheet extending between and supported on said inclined surfaces, said awning sheet including a plurality of integrally connected, alternatin step and riser portions extending between said ends and secured thereto, the rear edges of said steps respectively resting on said inclined upper surfaces, said steps extending outwardly and downwardly from said rear edges in parallelism and havin their forward edges spaced above said inclined upper surfaces to form apertures above said inclined upper surfaces adjacent the forward edges of said steps, said risers depending from said forward edges and each respectively extending from the said forward edge associated therewith into junction with the rear edge of the step next adjacent therebelow, each said riser having formed therein a plurality of hooded louver openings, the hoods of said louvers being outwardly offset from said risers to shield said openings.

3. An awning structure which comprises a pair of ends each having a rear edge and a supporting edge extending downwardly and outwardly from the upper end of its rear edge, and an awning sheet extending between and supported on said supporting edges, said awning sheet consisting of a plurality of step portions including an upper, intermediate and lower step portions and a plurality of riser portions, said upper and intermediate step portions having downwardly extending integral riser portions depending from their forward edges and said intermediate and lower step portions having integral riser portions extending upwardly from their rear edges, said rear edges resting respectively on said supporting edges, said step portions extending outwardly and downwardly from said rear edges and having their forward edges spaced above said supporting edges to form apertures above said supporting edges adjacent said downwardly depending riser portions, thelower edge of each said downwardly depending riser portion overlapping the upper edge of a said upwardly extending riser portion and being rigidly secured thereto, said lapped portions cooperating to form risers respectively spanning the spaces between said forward step edges and the adjacent said rear edges, said depending riser portions having outwardly ofiset louvers formed along their lower edges, defining ventilating openings'through said risers, said outwardly offset louvers extending below said openings.

intermediate step portions having downwardly.

extending integral riser portions depending from their forward edges and said intermediate and lower step portions having integral riser portions extending upwardly from their rear edges, said rear edges resting respectively on said supporting edges, said step portions extending outwardly and downwardly from said rear edges and having their forward edges spaced above said supporting edges to form apertures above said supporting edges adjacent said downwardly depending riser portions, the upwardly and downwardly extending riser portions of said intermediate steps being respectively lapped, said lapped riser portions being rigidly interconnected and cooperating to form risers respectively spanning the spaces between said forward step edges and the adjacent rear edges.

5. An awning structure which comprises a pair of substantially triangular ends each having an inclined edge extending downwardly and outwardly from its apex, and an awning sheet extending between and supported on said inclined edges, said awning sheet consisting of a plurality of step portions including an upper, intermediate and lower step portions and a plurality ing outwardly and downwardly from said rear operating to form risers respectively spanning the spaces between said forward step edges and the adjacent said rear edges, said depending riser portions having outwardly ofiset louvers formed along their lower edges, said upwardly extending risers having inwardly ofiset louvers, complementary to said outwardly offset louvers, formed along their upper edges, said louvers defining ventilating openings through said risers.

6.An awning structure comprising inclined supports, a plurality of parallel step portions, each having its rear edge seated on the upper surface of said supports and its forward edge spaced above said upper surfaces, a plurality of riser portions, each riser portion extending between the rear edge of one step and the forward edge of the next rearward step, said step and riser portions being connected to form an awning sheet, and a plurality of louver openings formed in said riser portions, each said opening being provided with and shielded by a hood outwardly offset from its opening and from the riser in which said opening is formed.

7. An awning structure in accordance with claim 6 in which said outwardly offset hoods respectively extend below the lower edges of the openings which they shield.

CHARLES M. SKAGGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,030,493 Sorenson June 25, 1912 1,109,793 Scott Sept. 8, 1914 1,218,122 Scott Mar. 6, 1917 1,930,595 Moser Oct. 17, 1933 2,093,860 Austin Sept. 21, 1937 2,296,467 Dugan Sept. 22, 1942 2,383,639 Ferguson Aug. 28, 1945 

